H.B. 1528 78(R) Page 1 of 1BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1528 Harper-Brown Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, in the event of a local disaster, an airport joint board would be required to contact the city/cities affected by a local disaster and then ask the mayor(s) to declare a local state of emergency. The mayor(s) must then contact the county judge(s) to request additional assistance. In many cases, the county judge(s) will then contact the Disaster District Committee for state aid. Given the impact of an airport disaster upon the national transportation system and the regional economy, the current pathway to state and federal resources is too lengthy and is in need of change. House Bill 1528 would streamline the disaster declaration process to give airports quicker access to state and federal disaster aid when necessary. The airport's Chief Executive Officer would be able to declare a disaster at the airport and have the written document filed with the airport joint board's "secretary/official" rather than depending upon the city to file the document. The airport joint board must still go through the county judge and the Disaster District Committee. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS SECTION 1 - Defines "Joint Board." SECTION 2 - Allows a Joint Board to request assistance from the county program when its resources are exceeded. SECTION 3- Allows the chief administrative officer of a Joint Board to declare a local state of disaster that exists within the boundaries of an airport operated or controlled by the joint board. SECTION 4 - Effective date: September 1, 2003, unless this Act receives the necessary votes for immediate effect. This change applies only to action filed on or after the effective date of this Act.